60-Seconds 307 : 10 Creative Rituals You Should Steal

by Fred Showker

When I saw the reference to this article in a recent email spam, I had to pause. They used the famous quote from Ben Franklin that I have used in my Creative Layout workshops and seminars since the 1980s. I figured anyone who uses that quote must have something intelligent to say.

The story goes that Benjamin Franklin* sat each evening by candle light, before bed, and made notes in his journal of what he did that day. It is said, and he had written that each day, upon waking, before embarking on the day's duties he would ask himself : "What Good can I do Today?" Then, each evening as he wrote in his journal he first asked : "What good did I do today?"

Adopting such a practice will help you grow ... "Healthy, wealthy and wise" -- so, here are . . .

10 Creative Rituals You Should Steal

1. Take a Quarterly Vacation - Venture capitalist Brad Feld takes a week off every three months

2. Hold a "Retrospective" After Projects - Former Obama campaign CTO Harper Reed the importance of the daily "retrospective"

3. Write Every Day - Best-selling author Cheryl Strayed on the importance of writing daily

4. Create an "Interesting People Fund" - Writer and entrepreneur Ben Casnocha makes sure to invest in his "interesting people fund,"

6. Nap Every Day - News anchor Pat Kiernan makes sure to take a nap. Every day

7. Envision What You Will Be Remembered For - Rapha founder Simon Mottram often writes fake business articles to help him plan

8. Brainstorm at the Bar - Designer James Victore does his "think-work" at the bar and his "work-work" in the studio

9. Get Out of the Building (Radio host Garrison Keillor* makes sure to get into the "observable world")

10. Engage in "Morphological Synthesis"* Artist and filmmaker Ze Frank has a method to his madness when brainstorming

Upon reading all the descriptions in detail, I was convinced this article should be read by all creative people. I think I have participated and /or practiced all the above with the exception of "Morphological Synthesis" and "nap every day" over my career -- in fact, I have listed all of the above as advice to attendees in my own Creative Layout Techniques workshops beginning in the '80s and '90s. Numbers 1, 3, 5 and 8 are most important

Now, read the full descriptions of each item, and why these are important in this article by Sean Blanda, the Managing Editor and Producer of 99U.

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